Following allegations that the question paper for the NEET-UG 2026 entrance examination held on May 3 was leaked, the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the test, said it was aware of reports regarding the action initiated by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) in connection with alleged irregularities.
Leaking of ‘a guess paper’
The alleged irregularities involve ‘a guess paper’ circulated before the exam that reportedly contained questions which closely matched the actual paper.
Rajasthan Police SOG Additional Director General Vishal Bansal stated that the agency was verifying whether the circulation of the material was linked to organised crime.
According to the Rajasthan police, the alleged guess paper had been circulating among aspirants for nearly a month before the final exam and was distributed through word of mouth and photocopies. “We also found traces of the guess paper travelling digitally through WhatsApp chats of aspirants appearing for the exams,” Mr. Bansal said.
He said the 150-page PDF document had 410 questions, including 120 chemistry questions, which matched those that appeared in the final exam paper. No arrests had been made so far, he added.
NTA’s response
“The NTA is conscious of the anxiety reports of this nature can cause, and we ask candidates to allow (investigating) agencies space to complete their work. Any necessary steps will be taken in consultation with the Ministry of Education at the appropriate stage,” the NTA stated in an official statement.
NTA officials stated that on the late evening of May 7, four days after the examination, the agency received inputs regarding alleged malpractice. “These inputs were escalated by the NTA to Central agencies on the morning of May 8 for independent verification and necessary action,” officials said.
“The NTA confirms that it is working closely with them in a fully supportive role, providing all examination-related data and technical assistance required,” the statement said.
The statement further said that the examination was conducted as scheduled and under full security protocol, adding, “Question papers were transported in GPS-tracked vehicles bearing unique, traceable watermark identifiers. Examination halls operated under AI-assisted CCTV monitoring from a central control room, with biometric verification of every candidate and 5G jammers in operation.”
“The examination process itself proceeded as planned across all centres on the day,” it further said.
The statement added that the matter is presently under investigation and the facts will be established by the investigating agencies in due course. “The NTA will not pre-judge the inquiry, nor characterise its likely outcome. Whatever the agencies determine—including findings that may require further action—will be examined transparently and disclosed in keeping with established procedure.”
Leaked network under probe
Investigators said the question bank allegedly originated from a medical student from Churu studying in Kerala, and it was passed to an associate in Sikar on May 1, and then to a paying guest facility operator, before being circulated widely among aspirants paying between ₹30,000 and ₹5 lakh. The Rajasthan SOG has interrogated thirteen suspects from Dehradun, Sikar and Jhunjhunu over the past four days.
Political backlash
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged on X that questions were reportedly circulated on WhatsApp 42 hours before the exam and that over 22 lakh students were affected.
He stated that the exam was “compromised”, alleging that the NEET had effectively become an auction, with the sale of questions on messaging platforms ahead of the exam.
Mr. Gandhi further stated that there were claims of 89 paper leaks over 10 years and 48 re-exams, saying that repeated assurances had been followed by silence, and that he stood with students.
Published - May 11, 2026 04:03 pm IST